


Who Protects the Protector?

by overworkedunderwhelmed



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: F/M, Fluff and Angst, Marichat | Adrien Agreste as Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng, Protective Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-28
Updated: 2021-02-28
Packaged: 2021-03-12 00:14:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 654
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29751180
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/overworkedunderwhelmed/pseuds/overworkedunderwhelmed
Summary: A good Guardian’s duty is never done.  Not even when the battles have ended.Not while secrets still stood between her and her partner.
Relationships: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug
Comments: 24
Kudos: 135





	Who Protects the Protector?

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks to ToujoursMiraculous for beta reading.

“I should have fallen for you instead,” he whispered, into the chilly Paris night skies.

Marinette froze, blinking at the words. Quickly she took a half step back to turn and look at her partner — her best friend — still clad safely behind the mask as he stood next to her at the edge of her balcony. ”Wait. _What?_ ”

As he leaned wearily against the metal rail beside her, his grin was rueful as he glanced over towards her. 

There were twenty questions she wanted to ask, but when she finally cleared her throat only one snuck through. “Chat, what is that supposed to mean?”

In spite of the impenetrable armor that kept his form safe, she spotted those unfailing signs of softness from him that he didn’t often betray outside of those heartrending moments of battle.

Not since Ladybug had asked him to stop, anyways.

She glanced back over her shoulder at the now-empty plate of sweets. “This isn’t just because I sometimes feed you, is it?”

Chat Noir might have chuckled darkly, but he didn’t fool her. His smile hadn’t reached his eyes.

“Everything is easy with you, Marinette. It isn’t always like that for me. Outside of Ladybug, I haven’t always had the easiest time interacting with everyone.”

She stood silently, hating that she couldn’t do more for him. 

“I can’t exactly explain… Not really. It’s just, with _you_ , it was never a struggle.” His lips curved slight upwards. “Not from the first day that Ladybug trusted me to protect you.”

Her eyes darted down to his lips to notice before she worriedly nibbled at hers. “You regret turning me down back then?”

“It was the right decision...probably still is, too.”

Her eyes narrowed. “Why?”

“It wouldn’t do me any good.” His arms hung slack, one still drooping on the rail, as he turned to face her directly. “Not if you didn’t like me on _both_ sides of the mask.” 

Marinette’s eyes flew wide open. Vigorously, she shook her head. “You think I wouldn’t like you?”

Above his wavering smile, his glowing green eyes were compelling. “You know I can’t answer that.”

Marinette gulped, gripping the rail even more fiercely now. Even those words were far more confirmation than she ever should have had.

That she somehow knew him...far more than she had ever allowed herself to realize before.

Chat Noir sighed, slumping back against the rail. “Ladybug doesn’t want me. And I already know that I can’t protect a civilian.” He grimaced. “Not really. Not well enough to keep you truly safe. Not without the freedom to give you a Miraculous to keep themselves safe.”

Daring for only a moment, Marinette took a step closer to him, mirroring his slump against the rail. “Then I guess you’ll have to keep visiting here.” She peered at him, daring him to look up. “At least until you don’t feel so lonely any more.”

Eyes slowly widening, Chat Noir’s lips parted, staring at her in awe, for a moment. Slowly his eyes slid closed, daring to bridge the mere centimeters between them to lean his weary head against her shoulder as she had done to him on rooftop after rooftop.

“Thank you, Marinette.” The words were reverently soft.

Nodding, Marinette felt her heartbeat start to rush as she stared out across the Seine, as if she were about to rush into battle, transformation or no. 

She might now be the Guardian, but it was now abundantly clear that keeping all the Kwami safe wasn’t easy.

With Chat Noir… Ladybug knew she couldn’t protect him; not nearly so well as he had done for her.

However, now she _knew_ this was a problem for him. One that she would do every last thing that was in her power as Marinette so she could help Chat Noir. 

After all, the two of them were in this together, against far more than she’d ever realized.

**Author's Note:**

> Also on [Tumblr](https://overworkedunderwhelmed.tumblr.com/post/644341517618708480/who-protects-the-protector)


End file.
